


The Trick

by hjea



Category: Ashes to Ashes, Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: F/M, Grief, Season/Series 01, Wine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-01
Updated: 2012-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-31 23:41:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/349600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hjea/pseuds/hjea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex is using Gene to find out about Sam Tyler. She doesn't quite get the answers she was looking for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Trick

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 07/07/08.

Gene was pissed, and talking about Sam again.    
  
It might have been tiresome, if Alex hadn’t been the one refilling his wineglass all night and asking rather leading questions. Rather unsubtle ones, if she admitted it to herself, but she feels she needs to know as much of Sam’s story as possible to understand how she came to be here. And anyway, after a few months (seconds! Some part of her brain hastily tries to rationalize) she thinks she knows how to get Gene Hunt talking.    
  
The problem is that now he won’t stop, and while Alex is desperate for any clue that might lead her home, Gene’s slurred speech is sounding less and less like a catalogue of the many faults and failings of DI Tyler’s mental state, and more like… grief.    
  
“Bastard-“ Gene was saying as he waved one hand in the air and tipped precariously in his chair, “-jus’ disappeared. In my bleeding car! Always did drive like a nancy – I told him – so I didn’t think he’d be stupid enough to go and do something like that. Always going on ‘bout regulations. Waiting for backup. The tosser. No body. Not a proper funeral. And didn’t I have to go and tell Cartwright – “   
  
Alex sat up a little straighter. She recognized the name from Sam’s file, but hadn’t heard Chris or Ray or the Guv actually make any mention of it so far.    
  
“Is that - that’s DC Cartwright?” She asked carefully, trying not to sound too interested. The trick was to keep the attention off of herself, and keep Gene from asking why she wanted to know. The trick was to get home – as painlessly as possible.    
  
Gene nodded sloppily. “Tha’s right. Annie. D’you know her?”    
  
Alex shrugged nonchalantly. “Just by name.”    
  
“She wasn’t on duty that day, so I had to go an’ tell her. Go and tell her like – they always seem to know, don’t they?”    
  
He was interrupting himself now, eyes unfocused, mind scattered. In a sudden wave of shame, Alex felt she really shouldn’t have given him so much to drink.    
  
“Something… in their eyes when they open the door. Like if they slam it in your face again quick, it won’t be true. But they seem to know, the wives.”    
  
Alex knew. After a while, every police officer had that feeling. She started to tell him so, when something else Gene had said made her stop.    
  
“Wives?” She put a hand on his waving arm. Tried to steady him. “Sam and Annie… were married?”    
  
Gene snorted. “Kept her name. Told Sam people’d think he hadn’t made an honest woman of her, but he said he liked it. Modern.” He snorted again.    
  
“And where is she now?”    
  
Alex’s hand pressed tighter to his arm, and Gene stared at it for a moment, as if confused by the undisguised interest she was now showing. Alex held her breath.    
  
“Still in Manchester.” Gene said after another moment, and Alex let her breath out. “She moved across town, though. Closer to her parents, so they could help with the kids.”    
  
“Kids.” Alex repeated, dumbstruck. “Sam and Annie had kids?”    
  
He had had a life here, more than she realized. A family, and love, in those few brief moments as he was really dying in another world. As if it were possible.    
  
Gene was still talking. “Two. Surprised they didn’t have more, the way they always carried on. I did warn her.”    
  
Alex swallowed. “Do you… do you see them?”    
  
Gene’s forehead met together in sudden anger as he tried to focus on her. “What do I want to see them for!?” He exploded. “I’m not a bleeding uncle!” His anger disappeared as quickly as it had come on, and he shrugged lopsidedly. “And Cartwright won’ see me. Blames me.”    
  
Alex was sure now she didn’t want this conversation. There was nothing to tell her of how Sam had come to be here, of how she could get home. There was only the pain of what he had left behind. She ached for Molly.    
  
“You should see them, Gene.” She found herself saying softly. “It’s been a year. I’m sure Annie would see you.”    
  
His head was down, hanging two inches above the tabletop. “Maybe.” He said gruffly, and was quiet.    
  
“I’m going to call you a cab home.”    
  
Alex stood, still pressing her hand to him, but he didn’t look up. She walked slowly to the counter, and brushed the tears out of her eyes.


End file.
